Solution will help shipowners meet MARPOL’s emissions directive, which will be effective by 2020
By
Rebecca Gibson |
GE Power and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri are to co-develop a new Shipboard Pollutant Removal System to help shipowners and operators meet MARPOL’s stricter emissions limits directive, which will become effective by 2020.
According to the agreement, Fincantieri will define the necessary technical requirements to design an emission control system for a vessel, while GE Power will define the features that are necessary for an emission control system to ensure it will meet the target performances.
“This agreement builds on GE’s and Fincantieri’s long-term relationship and we are proud to develop such an innovative solution with one of the main shipbuilders in the world,” said Sandro De Poli, president and CEO of GE Italy. “To develop the Shipboard Pollutant Removal System, we will combine Fincantieri expertise and GE’s deep domain experience in air quality technologies for the reduction of pollutants in different fields, such as power, aluminium, iron and steel and waste to energy.”
The new Shipboard Pollutant Removal System will be developed for cruise vessels, helping them to control sulphur oxides and particulates emissions. However, it will also be able to be used onboard all ships that use heavy fuel. In addition, it will help shipowners reduce operational costs.
“No shipbuilder before had ever established a partnership to reduce emissions with a system manufacturer, that is one of among the leaders in the area in which it operates,” said Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri. “This strategy, having cutting-edge research and innovation at the forefront, will allow us to furthermore raise the bar of technology to the benefit of the cruise market, in a sector, as the one of minimisation of environmental impact, which is so significant for our customers.”